tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76894024288807261112024-02-20T07:53:59.556-08:00Delusions of Fresh MeatA Film Student Confronts the InevitableBenjamin Puleohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688135510138959201noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7689402428880726111.post-26218320306701783192014-02-22T11:06:00.002-08:002014-02-22T11:08:03.329-08:00Til then, til then.I guess I'm kind of at that weird point where I can calm down a bit. Delusions was basically born out of anxiety and as an outlet for it. Now it's kind of subsided. I'm settled into a great apartment now with good friends. The whole job thing... was eventually solved. It's crazy how much that consumed me for months and months, but I'm out of it now and in a better place.<br />
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A lot has changed in such a short period of time and it's pushed me away from my writing. I got a full time job where I can't write scripts or daydream about characters whenever I want, but now that it's become normalized over time, I'm going to get focused and try to get back to it. Reading scripts is such a big part of it that I fell away from for quite a while, so regaining that is one of my bigger priorities.<br />
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For now I'm going to leave Delusions as is and let it sit. It wouldn't feel right any other way, since it was made for a specific phase of my life that has transitioned into something else. I need to just go off and live for a bit, get the writing down, and see where I get. I'm just trying to soak everything up and get used to a new routine while still maintaining the motivation to write scripts. Less writing about doing things and more actually doing them...<br />
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I need to crank another feature out this year if I want to see anything happen at all or even feel right. If not then what's the fucking point? Time to get back on the horse. There's always room for more blogging in the future, most likely a fresh stab at something new and different. So thanks for stopping by and listening to me, until next time :)<br />
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<br />Benjamin Puleohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688135510138959201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7689402428880726111.post-19250051941852935402013-12-23T18:43:00.000-08:002013-12-23T18:43:58.658-08:00I won't be home for Christmas<div>
Have you ever had one of those "How did I get here?" moments? Like if you in the future were to come back and tell yourself it was going to happen and you totally wouldn't believe it? I had one of those a few days ago when I was sitting in a room with the other new-hires at a company I had never heard of.</div>
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It took me exactly six months <i>to the day</i> to find a permanent job after graduating college... I think it took me that long to practice the stupid routine over and over. To be said no to or ignored completely. To get my hopes up and learn to recover from it in an instant. To save up enough luck? To realize freelance production isn't for me. To dig deeper and figure out what to do with the hot mess that is myself.</div>
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Anyways, to recap, my immediate goal was to find regular work so that I could practice writing scripts on the side because my long-term goal is to write movies. Pretty straightforward. I know goals change, but that's where I'm at now and I believe working towards anything is better than nothing.</div>
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So after two interviews, one of which involved me trying to win over a room of about 10 Chinese engineers and entrepreneurs that were impossible to read, I was confirmed as a new hire. I later found out that they chose 10 of us out of around 300 applicants and guess what? I had one of the best interviews.</div>
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Some people do actually leave film school and land right in the thick of it, set doing exactly what they planned. I took a slightly different route.</div>
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Now I work for a company that makes remote control drones (helicopters, quadcopters, hexacoptors, and octacopters) for aerial videography and filmmaking. This is one of them:<br />
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I could have never afforded to get into the RC hobby or even go near one of these things, but I got my foot in the door with 3 years of IT Support in college. It's a normal 9-5 Mon-Fri tech support position and I couldn't be happier because it's still relevant to my industry, super interesting, and will allow me to do what I set out to do without worrying about money. The drone industry is blowing up right now and though it really wasn't on my radar, it feels like a great fit now.</div>
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I've received messages from a few readers who are in the same position I was half a year ago, poised to break into the film industry, scared of the real world after school, and really not sure what to do. All I know is what I did, which was move to LA as soon as I graduated and live off of my parent's money until I found a job. I worked on a few projects, met a lot of people, and just got lucky one day when someone on Craigslist liked my resume. Other people might get work from a friend or family member in the industry, and even more people just give up and have to go back home. I was about a month or two shy of doing that if I hadn't found anything because I couldn't have afforded to stay here. My advice is don't beat yourself up about it, keep your goals general and achievable, and be open to them changing. </div>
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My life has totally changed now, it's still surreal. When were all standing on the roof of the office and they flew one of the bigger drones in front of us, we had to confirm with each other that this was real. We had all just landed a dream job.</div>
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This year has been insane and it's starting to show in my face and my voice. Even my parents are rubbing in how I'm getting older. It's the first time I'll be away from them and the rest of my family for the holidays. None of us were very broken up about it though considering I finally got what I was working for. Everyone's kind of moving on and doing new things, it's a bit contagious.<br />
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Cheers to a new year :)</div>
Benjamin Puleohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688135510138959201noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7689402428880726111.post-17979877967420802612013-11-12T12:26:00.000-08:002013-11-12T12:26:42.490-08:00From bright-eyed and bushy-tailed to zero fucks givenI'm still here... A lot has changed over the past few months.<br />
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Moved into a new apartment with some friends from school a few weeks ago. Never thought it'd take so long to get my living situation squared away down here, but I finally have a new home and it feels good.<br />
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Now combine that with:<br />
unsuccessful job interviews<br />
creative frustrations with my own writing<br />
whatever other stupid existential mental cow pie minefields<br />
aaaand I just didn't feel like e-complaining about it over the past few months<br />
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Thing is, the excitement of moving to LA and figuring out my career has totally worn off. Y'know, the whole backbone of this blog...<br />
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PROBLEM: I'm 22 years old, so I'm at that point in my life where my actual self and my ideal self are completely disparate and it's been driving me crazy. "But Ben, it can take a lifetime to achieve your ideal self and many people never do!" Shut up, I know, but it's extra shitty now. At this point I feel like I should at least have a vague idea of what my ideal self would be, but I don't. I was kind of wrong about mostly everything in some way or another. My expectations were pretty unrealistic. Going to college in paradise put me out of touch with reality in a big way and only now am I getting over it.<br />
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SOLUTION: Accept it and don't give a shit about anything. Yup.<br />
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Here's what's up. I'm ashamed to say it, but it took me a longer than I would've liked for me to realize I don't know anything about anything and I have zero skills worth paying me for. Insert liberal arts degree joke here.<br />
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I wish somebody would have given me that advice sooner, or maybe they did and I just didn't listen. Gotta accept that I won't be good at anything for years and years and years. Gotta stop getting hung up on the big life questions all at once. A good friend of mine told me yesterday that there's absolutely no point in being too hard on yourself, ever. He's right. I've been beating myself up for no reason and it doesn't help anything. Sure, it's great to have an idea of what I'd like to do further down the line, but right now, in this moment, it's best to start simple and get my head straight. Oh yeah, and just make some money, gawddamnit.<br />
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An interesting thing happens when I stop giving a shit about how to beef up my resume, develop my nonexistent career, beat out the other guy... I'm just happier. Really though, I'm just not worrying about it and not making a deal out of it anymore. I can still be driven and discover new things, but ever since I've moved here I've just been waaaaay too hard on myself and it ain't healthy.<br />
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It's hard to know that going in. In any big life event, not just moving to Hollywood to try and make it in entertainment. This frustration carries over to everything, but it's especially stressful in this kind of environment where literally everyone is concentrated in the same location competing for the same kind of success. Other people rub off on you down here and falling into the trap of comparing experiences and achievements is just asking for trouble (and when it comes to writers, long nights alone with a bottle.) Nopenopenope!<br />
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Bottom line, I've learned to not hold myself accountable for being young and new at everything. I've learned that it's impossible to not get my hopes up about an exciting opportunity and often I will. Doesn't matter, give it up and don't dwell.<br />
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Surrender. Accept being a young, insignificant ant. Think big for the future, but simple for the present. It's something to get used to, but some day that whole self actualization thing will come together. Don't care as much, just ride the wave.<br />
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Man, enough feels already.<br />
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Benjamin Puleohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688135510138959201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7689402428880726111.post-17202526940950375702013-09-13T14:01:00.000-07:002013-09-13T14:01:03.795-07:00Why I've been so quiet<div>
Growing up in front of the TV as a kid, I was a sucker for hot new toy commercials. New Power Rangers Megazord? I need it! Dumb fighting robot rumble arena? Doesn't matter, this commercial rules and I have to have it! There was always rad music that got you pumped and lame special effects that were only passable to a 9 year old. Every once in awhile, when I was lucky enough to bring one of these toys home, I'd discover that it wasn't really as great as the commercial made it out to be. That kid actor was paid lots of money to look like he was having the time of his life playing with it -- and his hair was always soooo cool! Now that I owned the thing, I was jazzed for the moment, but sometimes left a little underwhelmed since the commercial hyped it up and raised my expectations. It wasn't <i>actually</i> what I wanted.<br />
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Okay, not the best example in the world... Point is, I'm currently running into the same problem where I started getting what I thought I wanted, and now I'm not really convinced that I want it anymore.</div>
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I came here to immerse myself in Hollywood, work on some movies, and eventually write my own. I reasoned that to mean I should get into production and be PA and work my way up to something better when the opportunity presented itself. At first, I couldn't find any paying work, so I PA'd for free on a few projects and those eventually led to my first paid PA gig. Short narrative, music video, commercial work -- I tried a little of each. Finally a little progress and a start, be it a small one. Problem: I just don't feel like it anymore.</div>
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Here's what I discovered about myself while working on the past few projects;</div>
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1. I can't really handle 13-14 hour workdays, especially when sitting down is a no-no. I don't think I have the physical stamina needed for constantly lugging around heavy equipment while always being sleep deprived. Sue me.</div>
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2. I don't like being everybody's bitch, nor do I have thick enough skin that I'm okay with being consistently blamed for things that aren't my fault. I know this comes with the territory, as it does in plenty of other types of work, but I'm still not okay with being in a "Yes, master. It won't happen again." position.</div>
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3. I diligently observed and hung out with people from each department to try and decide which one I would like to transition into. Thing is, I don't want in on any of them. No grip, lighting, art dept, camera, script supervising, no nothing. I'm just not drawn to any of them enough for me to dedicate myself to one. Some are appealing, but at the end of the day I'd rather just write something and leave the production to the other guys.</div>
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4. Although the experiences had while making this stuff are often a once in a lifetime deal, the money doesn't change anything. If I still feel like shit at the end of the day and keep having to ask myself why I'm doing it, the whole thing just doesn't work out in my head. Being a freelance PA is great for gaining on set experience and getting exposure to other professionals in their element, but if I can't imagine myself having a future in production, the low rates aren't really enough for me to stick around.</div>
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5. Working a more consistent job while writing on the side just sounds so much more appealing than anything else. Coming home each night during an extended shoot means immediately collapsing into bed for an attempt to rest before the next call, leaving me no time to even think about the story I'm working on. Deal breaker.</div>
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What's really annoying is that I've only been down here for a few months. That's nothing. I'm so young, but every gig feels like a make or break experience that will define the rest of my future. Yes, I'm aware of how stupid that sounds. I'm at a point where it's impossible for me to imagine where I'll be in just a year. I'm also at the point where if another PA gig comes up, I might need the money so badly that I'll have to do it whether I want to or not...</div>
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So much of the struggle in taking this route is separating what I think I want from what I need. If anything, I've learned what I <i>don't</i> want to do, which is somewhat useful, right? Don't get me wrong, this isn't a post saying I'm done and packing up. I just have this idea floating around somewhere inside me that says production might not be my thing and that's okay, try something new. So I will.</div>
Benjamin Puleohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688135510138959201noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7689402428880726111.post-86334350664063451072013-08-26T17:45:00.001-07:002013-08-26T17:45:45.431-07:00Is the story fresh or rancid?Getting the ball rolling on my next script has been close to impossible since my big move. I had it my head that I'd cruise down here, eventually find some work, and continue writing diligently in my spare time. No such luck.<br />
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So far I've been able to land some PA gigs working for free, which is good experience and nice for meeting people, but, well, lets save the job rant for another time... *screams internally*<br />
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It's funny how motivating a screenwriting professor is when they threaten to fail you if you don't crank out a stack of pages each week. Now that those days have come and gone I'm watching my self-discipline melt away. Yeah, part of the blame goes to video games, movies, and procrastination. I'll admit that. A huge part of it is also getting frustrated that most of my ideas have gone nowhere.<br />
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Around the same time Pacific Rim was in post-production I was developing my own treatment for a giant mech extravaganza. It'll be fine, I thought. Just a coincidence and mine doesn't have aliens or any of the other junk they packed in. I should just keep going with it because it's what I want to write. Then a few months fly by and as I'm sifting through production listings I see Robotech is in fucking preproduction with Toby Maguire and possibly DiCaprio... I wasn't necessarily writing Robotech, but the whole franchise and the 80s anime milieu just made me feel like whatever spin I would have put on my similar mech story at this point would be shadowed in some way by those films. It just felt less and less original as more of the same was stirred into the pot. I could say who cares, if it's good it's good and will be recognized as such, but it just feels really lame to be writing something a lot like whatever trend is popping up at the time. I had to give it some breathing room.<br />
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I also keep stumbling into this weird thing where I start writing a movie that already exists without realizing it. My next stab at an idea turned out to be a Metropolis rehash and then the following week it was that weird Spielberg android Pinocchio A.I. thing. I haven't even seen A.I., but I started writing that exact kind of story. You might say movies are never wholly original and can always be described by a mixture of two movies that have come before them. I'm not disagreeing with that, but I just can't get excited about something if it feels like it's already been done. So if it doesn't get me excited, well then I'm just not going to write it. And that's basically what's happened with all of my story ideas so far. I was just hesitant to write anything because for one reason or another I wasn't excited about them and kept shutting myself down with excuses.<br />
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So now I'm not only learning to bounce my ideas off people to make sure I haven't accidentally rewritten a movie, but also I'm figuring out how to filter the stories I absorb everyday and take aspects I like to make them my own without totally ripping them off. There's a fine balance between borrowing elements from stories and ignoring other work to just write what comes naturally.<br />
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Today I think I nailed down a new story idea that I'm genuinely exited about. Now the challenge is to prevent it from spoiling. How can I make it mine and keep it mine? The only answer I can think of is to just say fuck it and write no matter what. Nothing's perfect right away, so the most productive thing to do is develop something that feels fresh and hope it improves. Either way it's a learning experience. It's easy to throw bad ideas out, but to be able to differentiate the great ones from the rest is a skill I'm still getting the hang of.Benjamin Puleohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688135510138959201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7689402428880726111.post-91412173369666397832013-07-22T23:45:00.002-07:002013-07-22T23:48:58.142-07:00Mediating your inner noobStudying film in college was one of the best decisions I ever made. I have no regrets. However, reality sets in after graduation and now that I'm looking for work in the film biz, nobody gives a shit what I studied. The real question is: can I do the job? Sure, having the background of working on student films, knowing the in-depth history of the industry, and doing critical analysis of hundreds of films down to the shot are all worthwhile in themselves, but frankly, it's all completely irrelevant to becoming a set P.A.<br />
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I'm used to small student crews where everybody does everything. Hey, can you move that light over here? Somebody help me with this makeup and then set out the lunch. <i>Now </i>I've entered the land of don't you fucking dare touch that c-stand and I ain't paid to do your job. Okay, not everybody's that much of a dick, but it still takes a little getting used to.<br />
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This past weekend I attended a crash course in being a production assistant at <a href="http://pabootcamp.com/">P.A. Bootcamp</a>. If you've never heard of it, it's basically a two-day seminar that prepares you for your first day on the job so you know what and what not to do as a P.A. on a professional crew. If you <i>have</i> heard of it before, it might have something to do with the controversy surrounding whether it's worth the money and the time, as apposed to just learning everything on your first day of work. I certainly am not going to feed the fire. I can understand both sides of the argument and I am only presenting my own personal experience.<br />
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Now, taking into account that I studied film for four years, worked (one could say played) on my fair share of student film sets, and had a short runner gig for the Golf Channel, I <i>still</i> felt nervous about working on a pro crew as a noobie P.A. Why? Because, simply put, I didn't want to fuck up on my first day and be conspicuously absent from the next call sheet i.e. fired. If the AD finds out I don't know what I'm doing, they're going to hire somebody who does. The last thing an assistant director needs is to take time out of their own day to train me. I know you can already smell an argument here, especially something like if you're too stupid to learn how to P.A., you should probably stick to flippin' burgers.<br />
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Nobody's saying the set lingo or radio etiquette is rocket science, I'm just the type of person who wants to know what I'm in for given the chance. See, not only did I learn everything I needed to know about how to be a successful P.A. before day one, I gained confidence in myself to step into a job I'd never done and not stick out like a sore thumb. I won't go into it much more than that. All I'm saying is that my time and money were well spent and I met some wonderful people. Sometimes you just have to ignore what other people say and experience something first hand to understand it.<br />
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I certainly gained a better understanding of how the business end of production works, namely who to call to ask for work. Before I was calling front desks and didn't even really have a term for what I wanted to do besides "entry level position." Office minion? Sure. Slave on nobudget shoot? Sure. Now I've retrofitted my resume and my attitude. I'm calling every show in the LA area that's in production and looking to be a dayplayer set P.A.<br />
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Granted, the 2nd AD or whoever happens to be doing the hiring is already calling the P.A.s they've worked with for years and their friends of friends all before they get to my dinky resume at the bottom of the pile -- and oh yeah, a fat majority of features are now produced out-of-state for tax incentives, but hey, baby steps.<br />
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I've got my surveillance mic, my little utility pouch, some comfy shoes, and at least a few days of training... I really just need to dive in at this point. Question is: Now that my savings are running out, how long will I have the phone glued to my ear calling for work before something magically appears? Before Mommy and Daddy refuse to pay next months rent? No clue. Dayplaying seems totally impractical, and yet I know it can be done. What the fuck am I doing?<br />
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I just want to make movies...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7689402428880726111.post-79144625789278448292013-07-11T13:38:00.000-07:002019-04-04T16:51:02.255-07:00A thick skin is a must. Go fuck yourself. You're hired!I've been in LA for an entire week now! Everything is a bit overwhelming. Memorizing new street names, figuring out where to get food and do laundry. Took me a few days just to get some basics down, but I made it! I said I would come here and I did :)<br />
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I just wrapped up my internship at Spec Scout. Got a solid three months of doing script coverage, which I hope will benefit me in my search for a job.</div>
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Speaking of jobs... Looking for one is a full time job in itself. I mean, yeah, no more college translates into more downtime than I'm used to, but I basically live on the internet now when I'm not exploring the city. I've been using that downtime to scour job listings, fine-tune my resume, and RESEARCH RESEARCH RESEARCH.<br />
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It kind of sucks that a lot of the assistant jobs I'm applying to want at least a year's worth of desk experience, but seriously, how hard can it be? Candidates must know how to work a phone and a computer and be able to schedule somebody else's life. Whoa. Must be detail-oriented, resourceful, and have excellent organizational skills. Gimme a break... This shouldn't be that difficult. </div>
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I know a few of my readers are also film students, so I thought I might at least share some of the online resources I've been using so far.</div>
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<a href="http://www.anonymousproductionassistant.com/">The Anonymous Production Assistant</a> (God bless 'em) posts the <a href="http://www.anonymousproductionassistant.com/uta-joblist/">UTA Joblist</a> every time it's released, about every week or so. It lists a variety of current jobs from internships to executive positions.<br />
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<a href="https://www.mandy.com/jobs/usa/crew">Mandy</a> is a huge database of jobs in the entertainment industry, as is the aptly named <a href="http://www.entertainmentcareers.net/">Entertainmentcareers.net</a>. I've been frequenting them both pretty often.</div>
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<a href="http://www.la411.com/">LA 411</a> is a beast of a site that will become useful when I begin my cold walk-ins. It lists all kinds of production companies and also specific people who are available for work in whatever position you can think of. Later this week I'll be combing the site for agencies, offices, and production companies so I can go to them in person. I think showing my face might have a little more resonance than a mere email response to an online job post, but we'll see. LA 411 also has a jobs board beta, which is run by <a href="http://www.media-match.com/usa/">Media Match</a>.</div>
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Now, I'm still up in the air when it comes to Media Match because it's one of those sites like Linkedin where you have to use their service whether you like it or not. Basically, instead of just uploading my resume in PDF format, I have to fill out a profile with all my information and they construct a pseudo-resume for me and send it with my application and the rest of my profile to whoever I'm applying to. Granted, I found at least 9 or 10 jobs there just today, and they keep emailing me more whenever a new relavent job is posted, but I had to pay about $10 for a month of their service before I was even allowed to apply for any of the positions. Worth it? I'm skeptical to say the least. </div>
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Oh yeah, and there's also Craigslist... Ol' faithful. Hey, don't knock it. It's served me well in the past and got me an internship, I'm just covering all my bases here.</div>
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Aside from scouring the internet and physically going to places, nothing beats networking with a friend or that one guy you used to know from freshman year. Not always the easiest route if you're like me and don't have a rad posse of LA filmies to get your back. So, I'll take this opportunity to give a shout out to anyone who has any leads. Hey you! Got a job for me? </div>
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*chirp chirp, chirp chirp*<br />
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If I'm missing something, please let me know.</div>
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Adult talk aside, I hit up the <a href="http://www.oldpasadena.org/filmfestival/">Old Pasadena Film Festival</a> last weekend and it was awesome! I caught <u>Annie Hall</u> and <u>Chicago</u> FO FREE, one projected on a huge building in a shopping center and the other on a weird inflatable screen in a park. Free movies all month long can't be beat, especially when they're good ones. I could get used to this...</div>
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Ben, how come you haven't complained about how shitty the traffic is and the ridiculous heat? Okay, yes, it's been hot. But this traffic thing is actually fun. I don't even get mad, it's like everyone wants to race and it's just entertaining for me to observe how insane people drive and then imagine what kind of despicable human is sitting in that car in front of me that just cut me off to get ten feet ahead for no reason. I start making up stories for their lives and then before I know it I'm where I need to be. Go figure.<br />
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One thing that is starting to worry me, is that my writing seems to have slowed down a little bit. I'm at the point where I'm just taking notes here and there when ideas pop up, but I should really be making more outlines and developing the notes into bigger works. Part of me thinks HEY this is crazy, you just moved to a new city and need to get settled, but the other smarter more productive part of me thinks HEY don't ever slow down, get started on that second script, bitch! Who do you think I should listen to?</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7689402428880726111.post-72281447230235636802013-06-16T18:27:00.000-07:002013-06-16T18:27:31.622-07:00I have a good excuse, I swear!Been awhile since my last post. I'm still here! Here's a hint at what I've been up to:<br />
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<br />
Yup. That happened. BA in Film and Digital Media.<br />
<br />
Siiiiiiiick.... Haha<br />
<br />
<br />
But seriously, I feel SO good right now! 4 years... UCSC is truly a wonderful school. I met some beautiful people and formed lifelong friendships. I learned more about myself and the world than I ever thought possible. I made work that I'm proud of. I looooooooooove Santa Cruz and part of me will always be here.<br />
<br />
What more can be said?<br />
<br />
Oh, wait. I know.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">I'M LA BOUND!</span></b><br />
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Woo! You guessed right. No callbacks, no interviews... BUT I found a place to live in East Hollywood for a few months. Baby steps.<br />
<br />
I'm moving to the city with no job. What? Okay.<br />
If I don't try, I fail. It's that simple. I fail if I don't try. I just need to find something, that's all there is.<br />
<br />
We're getting to the meat and potatoes of what I made this blog for in the first place. Isn't it exciting?! Nod your head yes.<br />
<br />
And, YES, I would love to hear your advice for living in Los Angeles! Thanks for asking. Especially delicious cheap food. I'm all ears. I lived in Westwood a few summers ago when I took a film class at UCLA, and visited a few times since, but I really don't know my way around too well.<br />
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Oh, and also, I don't know that many people who live down there, so don't be a stranger 8)<br />
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It's weird being able to feel a change coming on. The anxious anticipation of an unknown experience. Fear. The day will come when I won't think it was that scary and I'll laugh at myself, but until then, fingers crossed.<br />
<br />
Moving on!<br />
<br />
It can be argued that a screenplay is never finished. It can always be made better, but at a certain point the writer has to make it as good as they can and move on. I've come to this point with my first script. Granted, I learned a lot by writing it and got a better understanding of the process, but now I'm ready to create a new story and see where it takes me. I'm done, onto the next. But first...<br />
<br />
I don't think I'm the type of person who cares to keep amateur work hidden away.<br />
Here's the whole thing, my script called <a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B6c7d07H1T3UYVNWMUNGX3pxZlU/edit?usp=sharing">Stuck in Neutral</a>.<br />
<br />
I understand if you're not down with 90something pages, but if you <i>are</i> so inclined, I would love any feedback or constructive criticism you have. I'm new at this and want to get better.<br />
<br />
Until next time...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7689402428880726111.post-45112844740849936272013-04-25T20:56:00.002-07:002013-04-25T21:02:00.036-07:00Job HuntingWith about six weeks left of college, it's fair to say I've moved into a land of both desperation and fear, of debt and unemployment. I've just crossed over into... The Panic Zone!<br />
<br />
Where do I begin? In between working on <a href="https://vimeo.com/64595529">projects</a> for school, film club <a href="https://vimeo.com/62111835">shorts</a>, and covering 2 scripts a week for <a href="http://www.specscout.com/">Spec Scout</a>, any free time I do actually have is now spent probing the internet for a real job in Hollywood.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://thescriptlab.com/features/screenwriting-101/2224-hit-the-ground-running-a-writers-la-survival-guide">This article</a> over at The Script Lab has been a big help along with the UTA job listings posted by <a href="http://www.anonymousproductionassistant.com/">The Anonymous Production Assistant</a>. Inevitably, my search through the barrage of different titles and positions has forced me to do some uncomfortable self-evaluation (Do I even have a chance?), but also decide on what exactly to apply for.<br />
<br />
For awhile I've simply wanted to work as a production assistant on feature films. Problem is, as far as I know, that kind of thing is a day-player position and not at all consistent. Not the best option for a guy like myself who needs a regular income for the first few months of getting settled into LA life. I'm jonesing to work on a legit production crew, but I have my doubts about it being practical for long enough to pay rent.<br />
<br />
My other choice would be to work in development and get my hands dirty with some script work. From what I've gathered in the articles and from my bosses at Spec Scout, paid reader positions don't really exist anymore. I've been told that if I want to continue writing/reading screenplays and have a chance at a more consistent employment, I should get a job as an assistant. To who? Good question, but I suppose anyone doing relevant work in the industry would be a decent start. Most of the UTA listings are for these positions, so I'll take a crack at them first. Granted, gluing a phone to my head and managing some goof's calendar doesn't sound like my idea of a great time, but at this point <b>I'm willing to swallow my pride and then some</b>.<br />
<br />
It feels shitty to not be qualified for much more than script coverage or running errands. I know I could write for something or work on a crew, but for now I'm just trying to get past the initiation -- what everyone calls "paying your dues". There's a little comfort in knowing that everyone has to start at the bottom. Everyone was in my position at some point and in that way I know I just have to work with what I've got and stifle the panic. Fingers crossed.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7689402428880726111.post-88305426942165893432013-04-05T10:00:00.000-07:002013-04-05T10:00:06.493-07:00Short love letterDear Craigslist,<br />
I love you and am indebted to your indispensable services. I've bought and sold over three cars, found an awesome apartment with great roommates, and now have secured an internship as a result of simply checking up on new postings everyday and responding on a whim -- for <b>free</b>. All thanks to you! Although there are a few serial killers and scams floating around out there, I can attest that success can be had with enough persistence. Thank you for existing, you have improved my life tremendously :)<br />
Forever yours,<br />
Ben<br />
<br />
Writing up coverage on a few scripts a week for three months is exactly what I need and it couldn't have happened at a better time. That first connection, even if it is an unpaid reading position, can sometimes be a crucial stepping stone to something more substantial afterwards. It's a great way to get your foot in the door for anyone just starting out just like myself.<br />
<br />
John August (Go, Big Fish, Frankenweenie) has a fantastic podcast called <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/scriptnotes-podcast/id462495496">Scriptnotes</a> where he talks about doing exactly the same thing when he was just a beginner. His advice is totally on point with where I'm at. He and Craig Mazin (Scary Movie 4, Hangover 3, Identity Thief) offer an interesting perspective as Hollywood screenwriters along with plenty of useful tips. Needless to say I'm an avid listener and note taker... Check it out!<br />
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This is the home stretch. My final 10 weeks of college. I've miraculously managed to secure an internship and now I am prepping my own script for the Goldwyn screenwriting competition at the same time. Who knows if anything will turn out. I often wonder if I'm any good or at least competent, but just like everything else in life the only thing to do is to try my best and hope one day at least a funny story will come out of it :)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7689402428880726111.post-23426594585869745472013-03-05T23:39:00.001-08:002013-03-06T08:31:01.020-08:00The silent treatmentI was riding on the bus yesterday when one of my classmates took up the seat next to me. I don't know him too well personally, but we made small talk about our screenwriting course and then out of the blue he triggered a memory I had almost let slip away.<br />
<br />
So you got any film internships goin' on or anything?<br />
<br />
It's not a weird thing to be asked by any means, but in that moment I realized my brain had suppressed the only experience I had with that evil word.<br />
<br />
Last summer I applied for the whole enchilada. Disney, Warner Bros, Viacom, Paramount, Universal, any production internship that I qualified for. After no word for a few months, I was blown away when my phone read "Burbank, CA" and it turned out to be the internship coordinator for MTV. Salvation! She liked my resume, gave me a quick phone interview, and left me with a promise that the production department I applied to would give me a call with all the details in a week or two. Congrats.<br />
<br />
Guess what? No phone call. If there ever were a time in my life where I had <i>really</i> gotten my hopes up, this was it. I gave a nudge phone call here, a nudge email there.<b> </b>ANOTHER nudge phone call. Nothing.<br />
<br />
I suppose, in a way, I'm thankful to have learned this lesson quick and dirty, just to get it over with. That's the big fat "NO" stamp in Hollywood and it sucks. I still get lectured about it now in my seminar. Unless someone hands you a check for your script, you've got nothing but a pat on the back. They'll never tell you no, but they will kill you with encouragement.<br />
<br />
My classmate on the bus thought it was worth something to get a call in the first place, and I have to agree. Even their acknowledgment felt like an affirmation that I must be doing something right. The experience bummed me out at the time, but I learned to just be cool. Let it go. It's the first and surely not the last time I'll be given the silent treatment.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7689402428880726111.post-46361875418301474102013-03-02T15:08:00.000-08:002013-03-02T16:28:43.836-08:00Dinner with parentsI turned 22 last week *shivers*<br />
<br />
So my parents roll into town and take me out to a classy dinner and, just like every birthday of my college career, they assault me with the barrage of questions I always hate to be asked.<br />
<br />
What's your plan? Where are you gonna live? Do you have a job lined up?<br />
<br />
FUCK. They're on to me... You mean I can't continue to just live off of your own dwindling savings and sweep my $120,000 student loans under the rug? Rats.<br />
<br />
It's such an awful situation. What do I say when I have no real answers? I simply told them the truth, <b>but</b> I told it in a way that sounded like I might have thought about this once or twice. Anything to combat their doubt and salvage their morale.<br />
<br />
Yeah, um, I want to move to LA. I want to get any job that will feed and house me so I can write screenplays... I'd like to land a production assistant job, but it'll be close to impossible and everyone else will be doing the same thing. I don't really know what's going to happen.<br />
<br />
Imagine! You're a parent who will be in debt until you kick the bucket. Your kid is graduating with an arts degree and is condemned to wait tables for all eternity. This is exactly what you want to hear, right?<br />
<br />
Not surprisingly, the spirit of our dinner declined severely when I hinted at the realities of the situation. There is no job or internship and, although I'm scouring the earth, I doubt there will be one when I graduate. I will need A LOT more money from them no matter what. Even if something miraculously pops up, nothing happens overnight and getting set up in a new city will be anything but cheap.<br />
<br />
Honestly, I'm working my ass off trying to figure things out. I'm desperate, and have been since day one. Once June comes around it won't come down to effort, it'll be luck.<br />
<br />
I think it's time for some dessert, you guys look like you need it.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7689402428880726111.post-44857139826504478092013-02-10T00:50:00.001-08:002013-02-10T00:50:12.119-08:00Life isn't a movie, but it's not far offI started writing this post as a big grumpy list of complaints, dreaded tasks and reasons for why I haven't come up with anything new to blog about lately. After reading it over however, something changed. My shitty mood flipped, I deleted the entire thing, and then thought about how stupid I was for considering such a lame attempt at communicating with the outside world.<br />
<br />
On the one hand, yes, I am stressed. I am burnt out. I am in deep water, just like everybody else around me. This isn't anything new and nobody wants to hear it.<br />
On the other hand, one thought keeps me afloat. One idea keeps me from breaking down, giving up, and spiraling into the gutter. <br />
<br />
<u>I'm not exactly where I want to be, but in my eyes, I'm doing what I need to get there.</u><br />
<br />
I feel lucky to be so busy right now -- to have my plate so full that I can't even begin to hope for an end. I read so many blogs posted by miserable people with a career I'd kill for, but not much else to say besides "poor me..."<br />
<br />
See, a funny thing happened when I started to study storytelling in film. For lack of a better word, it's almost become a religion for me; something to live my life by. I honestly feel like an absolute moron for not understanding this up until now, but the films I've watched, the games I've played, the books I've read, they're not about people sitting on their asses talking about whatever floats through their little heads. Stories are about people who <b>do</b> things. THEY ACT.<br />
<br />
This is rule numero uno. It's drilled into my head every week by my professor. Screenwriting is built upon characters who do things. You can't see them think on screen. That's where books come in. We aren't entertained by heaps of dialogue. That's where plays come in. I study film and all I care about is what people do!<br />
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Naturally, my new interest has rubbed off on me more that I had ever expected. I think about this so much that, like I said before, it's transformed into a religious belief. A lifestyle. It has transformed me into a proactive human being.<br />
<br />
If you want one take away, one thing to know about who I am now, know this: I don't just talk about things, I go out in the world and I do them.<br />
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Telling stories in film is how I learned to live this way. For my entire life I've watched people do things on screen and for the most part saw it as mere entertainment. Now, just into my twenties, I get that it's way more than that. By writing about characters who must work extremely hard to get what they desperately want, even when faced with every imaginable obstacle, I get inspired to do the same.<br />
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If I don't set to work hard for what I want, no one will care, nothing will be gained, and it won't mean anything at all. Since I apparently missed the boat on Sartre's nutty brainchild back in the day (freshman year seems so far away...), I'm grateful for only just now grasping the importance of creating and doing. I'm totally there. A person is defined by their actions.<br />
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It's weird how I started thinking about this post as an excuse to complain about being overworked and how I'm starting to get nagged by school about applying for graduation and commencement, and how I have to finish my screenplay in five weeks. Oh, and finishing all the books I'm assigned or forcing myself to read. Look I even took a picture of the stack. There's more but it would have fallen over...<br />
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Poor me... Boo hoo<br />
<br />
Yet here I am, realizing how great it feels to be up to my neck in work. To be a human producing something, anything. I am busy pursuing a goal, trying a hell of a lot of new things, and making sure that if I die tomorrow, my story will be about a guy who did exactly what he wanted.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7689402428880726111.post-7646860716484239852013-01-20T20:21:00.000-08:002013-01-20T20:21:14.776-08:00Today's Secret Word is Rewrite<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">Pee-wee</b><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">:</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"> You all remember what to do whenever anybody says the secret word right? </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;" /><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;">All</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;">: Scream! </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;" /><b style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">Pee-wee</b><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">:</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"> That's right. For the rest of the day, whenever anybody says the secret word, scream real loud. Ready? Let's try it. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;">AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I spent the majority of last week cranking out a hefty stack of pages for the new script I'm </span>working on. Loglines, premises, in-depth character bios, and a lengthy treatment. These are all things we're taught to do before the screenplay itself is even started, with the idea being that once you figure out the plot, what you're personal stance is on the topic, and who the characters are, writing the screenplay is just a matter of letting these carefully planned out ideas come together in the most interesting and entertaining way possible.<br />
<br />
I'm proud to say that I went to town on these bad boys. I was expecting it to be a chore, but was pleasantly surprised that in some mysterious way not only had I met the weekly page requirement, I had doubled it.<br />
<br />
Working deep into the night all week was totally satisfying. I honestly didn't mind finally tucking into bed at 4:30am because I had just brain vomited out a long first draft of my treatment. It might not have been good, but the mere act of getting it done felt like much needed mental therapy.<br />
<br />
I know, I should have expected it. It was almost too easy. It was a lesson I had already learned, but was the farthest thing from my mind after running the gauntlet... Ben, these characters are fantastic and totally work, but this treatment is no good -- throw it out. <i>Rewrite</i>.<br />
<br />
AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!<br />
<br />
I'm not mad, really. This word of the day, whether I like it or not, will prove to be the word of my life. It's a lesson I am thankful to be reminded of over and over because it is simply an undeniable truth. I really love those...<br />
<br />
To rewrite (AHHHHHH!) is to improve. I used to take it personally and get pissed when I first started out doing this and the professor would tell me that something wasn't working, try again. Even if I don't like to admit it, this took a while to sink in. You don't just sit down, flip the on switch, and let pure gold flow from your fingertips.<br />
<br />
I know that now. This time around it's no longer a hard pill to swallow. I have no beef with throwing out a stack of pages. In fact I'm confident they will soon be joined by even more work that I poured my heart into and lost sleep over. It's nothing personal and doing it will make me better.<br />
<br />
It's okay. The earth still spins, and even twenty, thirty years from now, I will still <i>rewrite</i>.<br />
<br />
AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7689402428880726111.post-66092416957824730312013-01-08T01:19:00.001-08:002013-01-08T01:19:39.559-08:00Better late than neverI now talk out loud to myself more than I ever have in my entire life. Am I going crazy? Am I simply beginning to like the sound of my own voice? Why has this only now started happening as I bid farewell to my 21st year?<br />
<br />
Well, yes Ben, you just might be a little crazy, but go with it. It's a good market. As for the sound of your voice... Naaah, you kind of missed the mark on that one.<br />
<br />
I remember being consistently frustrated as a kid in school when confronted with a writing assignment. Even now in college I hear teachers chanting the same advice we've all been told for years. "You must develop your own voice," they say. Oh yeah, let me just do that! I never understood where I could get one of those, or if there was some instruction manual that I could go pick up. I guess I just didn't care much to find out then. "It will come with time" is the only guidance we were given for this. Maybe I wasn't listening hard enough, or more likely I didn't want to accept the truth.<br />
<br />
The truth.<br />
<br />
It's no secret that the key is simply writing more and more -- forever. There's only one rule and that's it. An obvious concept, but my laziness kept prodding me away from it.<br />
<br />
Well, here I am. The hesitancy and perhaps repulsion towards writing that I have maintained in all of my glorious years as a generic white kid in the suburbs of Napa California is slowly dissolving out of my brain. I don't know why it took so long, but I feel it beginning to happen. I feel a desire to have an opinion, personal taste, to participate in a dialogue, and to fucking argue like my life depends on it. I guess that's what they try to condition you to do in college, but only now is it really starting to stick and sink in. Better late than never.<br />
<br />
A piece of wisdom that is becoming more self-evident as the days pass: <b>nothing comes out, unless something goes in</b>.<br />
<br />
About 20 minutes ago I finished <u>Breakfast of Champions</u> and it kind of just rocked my world in a good way. I desperately needed it. Vonnegut's writing style applies directly to the type of dramatic thinking I am trying to do myself. It really does go hand in hand with developing a screenplay and I learned a lot from him. Thank you kind sir.<br />
<br />
And with that, I hope each new book or screenplay or movie that I slip into my noggin will somehow make something click. With more stuff going in, something has to come out, right? It's quite sad really, I don't actually accomplish much unless I physically write it down as a task to be checked off on a certain day. I've literally scheduled myself two screenplays to read every week to make sure enough is <i>going in </i>without making excuses of being too busy or well, lazy.<br />
<br />
I think I'm crazy, but I also want to be good. Maybe these two truths have more in common than I suspected. I'll have to talk it over with... myself.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7689402428880726111.post-62151194567499182372012-12-29T14:18:00.000-08:002012-12-29T14:18:09.777-08:00My first screenplay...I survived the holidays, mostly by being a hermit and reading my new favorite book <u>Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?</u> by Philip K. Dick. Now moving onto <u>Breakfast of Champions</u> by Kurt Vonnegut. I also ate a delicious cake shaped like a log, so festive...<br />
<br />
Earlier this month I completed an introduction screenwriting class where I wrote a 24 page screenplay for a short film. It was this class that I hoped would help me work on the big problem I was having of not being able to tell a story (see my previous post), and I was totally right. In fact, writing the thing and dedicating all of my energy to learning as much as I could about the process itself has changed me for the better.<br />
<br />
I started out thinking that I would just try screenwriting to gain a little story telling experience, but what I learned is that this isn't just a craft that I want to dip my toes into. While in the midst of writing it, something unexpected happened that I've never encountered before. I simply lost myself in a world of my own. The characters I had created had grown into something more than the pages of their bio. I could suddenly hear their voices and thoughts in reaction to an obstacle that I had given them. I could imagine a place that I had never been before and yet give it plenty of life and a purpose. My imagination and the ever elusive writing muscle that I had been so desperate to exercise had both gotten a rigorous work out.<br />
<br />
I've always struggled to find a medium that I feel comfortable expressing myself in, but something clicked after writing these meager 24 pages. Now nobody is saying they're very good pages, but they're mine and something I feel proud of. When I finished it, and boy did it feel good, I knew that I should probably pay attention. Here was an opportunity to start something new in life. I knew from making short films in school that I think visually, but it never really occurred to me to direct that effort into writing visually. It was definitely something I had to be taught how to do. In a sense, I had learned more in this class than I had in the majority of my other film courses.<br />
<br />
I want to keep going with it and see where it will take me. This winter I'll be starting my first feature and I see it as a wonderful opportunity. I'm in the mode now where I'm starting out and simply creating a stack of work. Screenwriters generally don't even sell a feature script until they already have 15-20 sitting on a shelf already, and I think at this point in time that is exactly what I intend to do. They might never see the light of day, but it's practice and something that I want to work towards. I want to make something that I can be proud of, and if I can make even a cent for it, well I'll consider that a win.<br />
<br />
Rather than have you vaguely attempt to relate to what the hell I'm referencing, I'll simply attach my screenplay to read. Keep in mind that I've never done this before, but that's kind of why it's fun. I don't want to be shy about it, the more feedback I can get as I move forward the better.<br />
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<a href="https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B6c7d07H1T3UUVF4R1d1S2FlMTg">Welcome to Earth</a><br />
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On to the next one!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7689402428880726111.post-47829194780259100642012-12-20T21:48:00.001-08:002012-12-20T21:48:35.526-08:00To study film, sort of.A funny thing happens when a desperate college student plays a little game called "Go down the entire list of majors and pick one, or die." Suddenly you insert yourself into weird fantasies and scenarios previously thought to be out of the question. Traveling down the list one by one, I think to myself "How can I embarrass my parents the most and spend a lot of borrowed money doing it?" I pass over "Film and Digital Media" and then it hits me. Wait a second... can I actually just sit there all day and watch movies... for college?!<br />
<br />
To most people I just say yes, it's pretty sweet blah,blah,blah. But beneath the surface of it, my experience with studying film at the university level in California has left me with mixed feelings.<br />
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As an undergrad, at least at my school, you get about two or three options with this discipline. The first is obviously production, you're making actual films for class. The second is critical studies, you read, write, and probably even teach some other students film theory. The third is more focused on digital media, mixed mediums, web design, etc. Now, I'm coming out of this thing with all my energy put into the production side and about 3 years in I start to notice a <i>big</i> problem.<br />
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Everyone starts off in the same boat learning the language of film. Cuts, tracking shots, lighting, editing, every filmic technique -- mostly through example. It's true, I did in fact sit there for years doing exactly what I pictured, which was watching film after film and then getting lectured about it. Now this is all fine and dandy, but it was also a problem for me because we were being taught how a story is told in film without being taught how to tell a story period. This might sound like a stupid complaint, really, who the hell doesn't know how to tell a story?<br />
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The thing is, after watching plenty of student films that we made for class over the years, most people couldn't convey much to an audience aside from the fact that it took them all night to get the title cards just right... We all knew how to work a camera, we were raised with them, but what frustrated the hell out of me was that dramatic storytelling, screenwriting, even three-act structure was just not a halmark of my education. Right away I learned technique from Hitchcock and theory from Eisenstein, but actually telling the story and in an interesting way was the farthest thing from my mind.<br />
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I feel like I've only reacted naturally in response to this backwards strategy of teaching film. I got sick of not knowing how to write. Why doesn't my short film about a dude who listens to a vinyl record and dreams about being a criminal getting judged by a demon while he's actually a police officer who just broke up with his girlfriend make any fucking sense? At least partly because I didn't think to take the only screenwriting class offered until my senior year. I'm going to be mentioning it in more posts in the future, but for now let's say that taking that class has to be the best decision I've made in years. It's also what sparked the idea for this post in the first place, because every day I thought "Why is this not mandatory for all beginning film students?!" Now I know how to develop characters, premises, obstacles, a setup and punchline... be it a little late in the game.<br />
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I think my perspective has drastically changed and in a good way. Of course I still want to work in production, but I've also jumped on the writing train and it's opened up a lot of new ideas for me. I'm reading more than ever, studying screenplays, and working on a voice for myself. It's the only logical path to take for fixing the problem that I had earlier where I couldn't make coherent films. I simply want to get the writing down solid<i>.</i><br />
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Don't get me wrong, I've had a blast studying film over the past 4 years and, to be honest, I might have dropped out to do something else had I not come upon it. Shooting bloody fight scenes, emotional breaking points, twisted fantasies, and everything in between is something that not many students get to do for their assignments and I feel lucky for the opportunity at such an exciting education. Now I'll be writing a feature film for my senior exit instead of the usual senior short film, and will hopefully hone the skill to get somewhere with it in the real world...<br />
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(licks his peppermint Haagen-Dazs ice cream bar)<br />
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Mmm. I'm home in Napa for the holidays. It's time to freeload for a few weeks and catch up on my, uhm, more ice cream? I think yes.<br />
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Favorite Christmas movie? No question, I'm in front of that 24-hour marathon every year!<br />
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Also considering using <i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUdM9vrCbow">Django Unchained</a></i> as an excuse to escape the impending family living room get together. Last year was actually the first time I was driven to do such a thing and I snuck out for Tintin in 3D. Yes, I will pay good money to get the hell out of that nightmare and no, I don't feel any remorse. Ho ho ho!<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7689402428880726111.post-6185664598317455672012-12-15T00:35:00.000-08:002012-12-15T00:35:04.795-08:00How did I get here? I was one of three 6th grade valedictorians when I "graduated" elementary school in Napa Valley. Yes, I know. Stop laughing... Anyways, this means that we each had to get on the stage and give (read) a graduation speech. Now I don't remember much of the heartwarming bits about the future and growing up, but I do recall telling the audience that I wanted to make movies and some joke about showing up Steven Spielberg.<br />
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Sure Ben, sure.<br />
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Having lowered my soaring sixth grade career expectations, I'm still taking the film route and <i>Delusions of Fresh Meat</i> will serve as the record of my experiences.<br />
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Thank you for being here and reading my first post! I'm starting this blog for a number of reasons, but mainly to exercise my writing muscle and to share things that I'm interested in. I'm setting out to improve the way I articulate my thoughts and ideas, and I think getting in the habit of writing regularly will be my best shot at it.<br />
Aside from me just writing for the sake of writing, I'd like for this space to be where I can talk about anything; films especially, but also work I'm doing, college life coming to an end, and eventually my pilgrimage to Los Angeles this upcoming year.<br />
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My goal is to get a job, surprise! I want to start off at the bottom as a production assistant, so while researching this I stumbled onto a bunch of blogs written by people who do exactly that. I read all their awesome stories and experiences about working on a production set every day and let's just say I'm anxious to dip my feet in.<br />
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I'll be here posting pictures, videos, news... Maybe try my hand at a film review?<br />
Stop by when you want to see what I'm up to. I'll do my best to update regularly, every few days or so.<br />
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Here's a short video you should watch that is totally relevant, check it out!<br />
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